[Chapter 913: Unfiltered]
Old Ke was able to guess a thing or two, but it wasn't because he was particularly bright. His impulsive action of shifting blame had led to bigger troubles.
So, the question arose: if he knew it was a major issue, could William White have been unaware?
Did you see? NBC and his White Media had shown no reaction whatsoever. Instead, they were busy gossiping about which celebrity was cheating or who had just struck it rich. Without a doubt, William White was incredibly wealthy, but the American public had grown indifferent to it; it barely registered as news anymore.
Naturally, the comeback king, Steve Jobs, seized this opportunity. He had been praising Netscape for months, and the spectators were starting to tire of the drama. Now, how about a revival? Ironically, the company that had booted him out, Apple, found itself in dire straits at that moment.
So, was it Hamlet or The Count of Monte Cristo?
You see, the animal version of Hamlet was more entertaining than the book; if it were realistic, it would have been even better.
The public's thirst for entertainment needed to be respected. After William White's persistent requests, Jobs finally arrived at NBC's studio in New York.
Seeing the spirited Steve Jobs, William White couldn't help but feel nostalgic. Jobs looked far more pleasing today--gone were the days of his youthful recklessness and the later years of frailty and illness.
William White knew very well that this guy was about to take center stage soon.
"Steve, we all know the personal computer industry has been booming. However, the competition has been remarkably fierce. Just think about it--Wang Labs filed for bankruptcy, and even the once-invincible Apple had hit rock bottom.
On the other hand, those once small companies like Microsoft and Dell created many wealth myths. So Steve, with the emergence of companies like Netscape and Cisco, do you think the legends of the past will meet the same fate as Wang Labs and Apple?"
William White chuckled; he figured the banter was safe enough. After all, the current Steve Jobs was no longer that rebellious youth fighting against the mainstream.
But mentioning Microsoft? Now that was worth watching. Brian Williams was a great reporter; having been in peanuts town for so long, he wasn't bothered by the so-called big shots.
"Brian, ahem, Apple is just going through some minor troubles. It won't suffer the same fate as Wang Labs. My former colleagues are brilliant, and they'll surely get back on track."
"Steve, have they invited you back to Apple? You know their current situation isn't the best."
"Hahaha, can I say I'm looking forward to it?"
"Then, let's talk about Bill Gates. I heard you two had quite a good relationship before."
Old Jobs gave a sideways glance at this troublemaker; anything related to William White was bound to stir up something.
"Bill? Let's put it this way: they mainly relied on IBM. They caught a break, which was pretty smart.
However, how should I say this? They're just so mediocre. You know, as a high-tech company, I can only say their imagination is quite limited."
The interview shifted into a wild rant against Microsoft.
In Jobs' eyes, no matter how impressive you seemed now, you couldn't escape the essence of mediocrity. Products born from stagnation and blind accumulation were the Windows 95 of today,
And as for anything groundbreaking, sorry, in the face of Macintosh, no product could lay claim to that.
William White was laughing hard, causing Nastassja nearby to feel anxious. She couldn't understand; forget about this troublemaker, even her own and her daughter's accounts had Microsoft stocks.
From that perspective, shouldn't he be the owner or at least a significant investor and stakeholder of Microsoft?
Shouldn't he be praising them to the skies?
"Honey, are you okay? What's with Steve? Why is he attacking you too?"
"Hahaha, he just can't stand it. To him, Bill is just a thief, and I'm merely a sly businessman."
"So, why are you laughing so hard? By the way, isn't he the owner of a movie company now? Why is he talking about computers? Is it possible that..."
"Hehe, figured it out? The Apple board has already started reaching out to him."
"What about Pixar?"
William White rolled his eyes. "Look at me, do I really have that many companies? I still have time to make movies. There just hasn't been much worthwhile to hunt lately. Aren't I impressive? Hurry up and compliment me."
"Alright, you're the best, but come on, you've been acting up lately, your work has been incredibly lackluster."
"Cough, honey, I might have taken on a tad too many courses. So, uh, can I get a passing grade?"
"Not at all, completely insufficient."
William White sighed. If they reached a point where they were scraping the bottom of the barrel, would he get stuck with them as a loser?
While he was being all sweet, Jobs was still on a rant, and meanwhile, Bill Gates, watching the same TV, was fuming.
What on earth was this? His assistant was useless; he needed to remind him to watch such a lousy show?
The installation rate for Windows 95 was soaring, and he felt lightheaded lately. He initially planned to relax but now, all mood was gone.
Bill Gates chuckled bitterly; he had once been Jobs' junior for a time. Of course, he knew this guy's sharp tongue and biting critique. If one were to make a comparison, only William White might rival him in that regard.
A comeback?
Bill Gates felt indignant. Why were they comparing him to Jobs?
Is Pixar worth two billion?
That was just a fraction of what Microsoft could manage. If it weren't for that William White ahead of him, he wouldn't have the motivation to push forward at all.
NBC was undoubtedly the culprit--damn that cunning bastard.
Bill Gates understood the petty grievances between himself and Jobs all too well.
Wait, that shouldn't be it; what if...
Bill Gates connected the dots; surely it had to be Jobs looking to make a return. If he wasn't mistaken, William White was just stirring the pot.
So, did he think the current Apple was the same as before?
Bill Gates was pacing in his office, cursing; his target was undoubtedly William White and Steve Jobs. As for any threats, that was just nonsense. In a closed system, how could one compete against an entire industry?
Look at the current Big Blue; even they had given up on their operating system. You had neither IBM's pedigree nor their appeal, and you weren't a standard-setter either.
Haha, how could you accomplish what IBM couldn't?
Bill Gates' grievances disappeared unnoticed by William White. If he overheard, he would've gracefully raised a middle finger.
None of that was important. IBM, Intel, and Microsoft had formed a colossal ecosystem. Had it not been for that, how could William White have possibly opted to step back?
It wasn't that he didn't want to fight; he genuinely couldn't win. Standards, kernels, and software were a trifecta. To jokingly put it, you could sit a dog in that position and still dominate the world.
As the new year unfolded, the IT industry put on a spectacular show of infighting. The media and Silicon Valley, except for a few who were feeling down, everyone else was thrilled.
Whatever the heck the Monta Plan was, it was utterly boring. One misstep could land you in trouble. The feuds and drama of the billionaires were far more entertaining.
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